Seikei University's Faculty of Science and Engineering x Massachusetts Institute of Technology's educational experience program "WTP Global": Providing junior and senior high school girls with an opportunity to engage with science and engineering.

Third-year junior high school students also participate for the first time! WTP Global's intentions for holding the event

　The "Seikei University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global Women's Technology Program" (WTP Global) is an adaptation of the "MIT-WTP" program for female high school students offered at MIT, tailored for the Japanese market. Faculty members from Seikei University's Faculty of Science and Engineering collaborate with instructors from MIT-WTP, using the same teaching materials as MIT. Participating junior and senior high school students engage in experiments and practical training in subjects such as mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, using both English and Japanese. Undergraduate and graduate students from Seikei University's Faculty of Science and Engineering support the learning process, ensuring that students can participate even without confidence in their language skills or scientific knowledge.

　For the second year of the program in 2026, the curriculum was further refined from the previous year, and participation from third-year junior high school students was also accepted. Professor Hiroyuki Iwamoto of the Department of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Seikei University, said, "We decided to lower the target age based on last year's experience." WTP Global simplifies and teaches subjects covered at the university level, so it includes new material for every grade level, and they felt that there wouldn't be a significant difference between third-year junior high school students and high school students if they participated.

"We expanded the target grade level because we wanted to increase opportunities for a wider range of female students to be exposed to science and engineering. Of course, if they try it and decide that science and engineering isn't for them, they can choose a different path. But we believe that the first step is to create contact with science and engineering. We also hope that through WTP Global, students will learn that Seikei University is committed to educating women in science and engineering, and that this will give them a sense of security when choosing their career path," says Professor Iwamoto.

The culmination of the program! Crane construction & competition

　On August 5th, the final day of the program, the "final construction" took place, where students created miniature cranes using styrofoam. The goal was to minimize the crane's mass and hang as many weights as possible from it. The students were divided into five groups and began construction. Applying what they had learned over the five days, they built the cranes in about two hours.

　After the construction was complete, a team-based crane competition was held. Each time a team successfully lifted a weight, cheers of joy and surprise erupted from the audience.

　The winning team received their prize from student supporters. The winning team members acknowledged that "we attached the crane to the base in the last 10 minutes, so if you look closely there are some parts that aren't very neat," but they still praised the miniature crane for its hard work.

"If you're unsure, I encourage you to pursue a science or engineering field." The WTP Global experience will help you gain confidence.

　At the closing ceremony held after the competition, MIT-WTP instructors presented each student with a certificate of completion.

　How did the participating junior and senior high school students feel about the changes and growth they experienced over the five days? We asked Noji, a third-year junior high school student, and Takatsuki, a second-year high school student, for their impressions.

"As a middle school student, I was initially worried about my academic ability, but I was able to learn with confidence because I received thorough instruction and all my questions were answered. By seriously engaging in science and math studies, I've truly come to love this field. Everything I learned will be useful for my future, so I'm glad I participated." (Noji)

"I chose a science track in high school, but I mainly studied biology, so I didn't have much experience with physics and felt intimidated by it. Nevertheless, I was interested in physics, and the opportunity to experience learning at MIT was appealing, so I participated. This time, I was able to learn by actually doing things, so I was able to learn about the connection between physics and real life, and I feel like my intimidation has lessened," (Takatsuki).

　At the end of the closing ceremony, Masako Egawa, head of Seikei Gakuen, delivered a message to the students, saying, "If you're unsure, I urge you to confidently pursue a career in science and engineering." In Japan, there are still relatively few women pursuing science and engineering fields such as mechanical engineering. She stated that this is due to the perception that "science and engineering is not a career path for women." However, looking at the world, there are many female researchers and engineers in science and engineering, and at MIT, about half of the students are women. That's why she encouraged the students who participated in WTP Global, saying that if they are interested in science and engineering, they don't need to give up on that path.

　The desire to increase the number of female students aspiring to science and engineering fields, and to increase the number of women active in science and engineering fields, is shared by the faculty and student supporters who backed WTP Global.

"Universities have a good amount of equipment, so I think they're the best place to freely pursue science and engineering research. You can do as much research as you want depending on your own efforts, so take the time to choose a university as an opportunity." (Kido, 4th year undergraduate student)

"If you don't have any aversion to it, I'd like you to try studying science at least once. If you try it and find it's not for you, it's not impossible to switch back to the humanities. Science offers a wide range of fields to study and career options, so I think it will broaden your future possibilities." (Sato, 1st year Master's student)

"There's no doubt that we can create something better by mixing various perspectives. That's why we want more women to pursue science and engineering. It's a waste to decide on a career path without knowing anything, so we want students who have never considered science or engineering to come to WTP Global. We want more female students to know the appeal and enjoyment of science and engineering," says Professor Iwamoto.